Chapter 778: Let’s start

"The head of the family has arrived!"

The conversation at the table immediately stopped, and everyone turned to gaze at the person at the end of the long table. All they saw was a man grinning from ear to ear, clearly aware that he was one of the few members of Zoren’s supporters in the family.

"I guess the First Branch is getting more arrogant than I thought," William snorted, smirking at Lloyd meaningfully. "The head is already here, but the young master from the First Branch seems not to care about all of that."

He raised an eyebrow. "But then again, what else can we do? He’s from the First Branch, correct? When something happens with the main branch, they’re the first in line."

Lloyd snorted but didn’t respond. He cast a glance at the woman beside him, only to see her shake her head slightly before casting the Second Branch a sharp glare.

"Where is he, Uncle?" the woman asked quietly to Lloyd as she rose from her seat to welcome Zoren.

Lloyd didn’t answer, but instead, he looked around. "He’s here just now."

"What is that guy doing?" she hissed under her breath. "Zoren Pierson is already here, but he still hasn’t come back."

Dean’s supporters in the family weren’t pleased with the path Dean was currently taking. They also found him slow, as William was already getting all the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before the Second Branch outshone the First Branch.

Hierarchy was important in this family, but it wasn’t just about it — it was also about achievements. Although hierarchy played a significant role, if someone wasn’t exceptional enough or didn’t make a significant contribution to the family and company, their title was just that — a title without value.

As everyone slowly rose from their seats, waiting for Zoren to approach, their eyes narrowed when they saw a strange shadow stretching across the entrance. Soon, a huge black panther came into view. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that all of them held their breath.

"He brought his panther," one person whispered without realizing it.

The person next to him widened her eyes, staring at the massive black panther entering the hall. "Oh, no."

"Someone’s going to die tonight, is there?"

"It’s my first year at the family dinner... did I join at the wrong time?"

"What? Is there going to be another fight here?"

Hushed questions quickly spread across the dining hall, particularly from the other tables. Those in the center remained quiet, but their nervousness was evident in their eyes. After all, that was a black panther, and no one in the family was intimidating enough to come close to it, let alone raise one.

Not to mention, Renny had a notorious reputation among the members of the Pierson family. Although most of them hadn’t seen it in person, they knew that Zoren owned a black panther.

Soon, a few steps behind Renny, Zoren emerged.

For some reason, the entire hall turned still, with everyone’s eyes on the tall man in a black suit entering the venue. Zoren’s hair was neatly brushed back, and the long strands extending to his back showed that it had grown quite a bit. His sharp facial features were all on display, coated with a layer of frost. However, it was evident that despite his cold expression and piercing gaze, he had more color than the last time most of them had seen him.

But the most eye-catching detail of all was the white cat he was carrying in his arm. Even with such a beautiful cat, pure white with not a single strand of any other color, it didn’t soften Zoren’s aura at all. If anything, he and the two cats with him (Chunchun and Renny) matched each other’s energy: one intimidating at a glance, the other simply elegant. Zoren was a mix of both.

"Wow..." someone from the side tables blurted out under her breath. "Wasn’t there a rumor that his health was declining? And that he doesn’t have much time to live?"

"Yeah... is that true?"

"There is," another replied, eyes still fixed on Zoren’s figure. "Is it fake?"

"Why would people spread nonsense?" someone from another table panicked, carefully reaching for his phone to send a message to someone. "I’ll be in trouble if I don’t rectify the family’s decision."

It had been mentioned many times before that the family gathering was a tradition for bonding. However, everyone knew it was far from bonding; it was more about gauging who was calling the shots. In recent years, Zoren’s health had been rapidly declining, and rumors spread that he might die early. No one questioned it, given how pale Zoren had looked with each passing day.

But now, Zoren was walking in with a straight back, a cool demeanor, and a normal complexion. The paleness everyone had grown used to was absent. While he might still look pale, it was unlike before, when he seemed drained of all color.

This change explained the panic everyone felt. Before the family meeting, many had already started switching sides. If Zoren wasn’t getting ill but actually improving, they would be doomed if they didn’t do something about it. Zoren could take out his support.

While reaching for their phones to send secret messages, everyone kept their attention fixed on Zoren. The entire room was silent, even the live music softened and slowed. The moment Zoren stood next to the head seat, he fluttered his eyelashes slowly.

"Renny, go to the corner and behave," he ordered, glancing at the black panther beside him. "Do you understand?"

Meow.

Chunchun purred and quickly jumped out of his arms, landing on the vacant seat closest to Zoren. Renny, on the other hand, let out a short growl and gazed at the people standing around the table. Renny turned, sauntered a few steps, and then sat down where it could reach Zoren or the table in one leap.

"Haha," Zoren let out a low, gentle laugh, lifting his eyes to them. A satisfied look crossed his face as he sensed the tense reaction from the people. "Let’s start. Don’t worry about him. He doesn’t bite... unless I tell him to."